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O. M. If a man performeth his strife in truth there will be no confusion in the mind, “For,” said the old man, “I have passed a whole week of days without a remembrance of any human thing having entered my heart.” And another old man said, “I was once journeying along the road, and behold, I saw two angels close to me, one on this side, and one on the other, and they walked along with me, and I did not look at them.”

592. B. Why?

O.M. Because it is written, “Neither angels nor powers shall be able to separate me from the love of God, which is in our Lord Jesus Christ” (Romans 8:39).

593. B. Can the mind be occupied with, and stay with the divine vision continually?

O.M. Although the mind cannot be occupied with and stay with the divine vision continually, still when it is pressed by the thoughts it can fly to God, and it shall not be deprived of the divine vision. But I say unto thee that if the mind be made perfect in this respect, it shall be easier for thee to move mountains than to bring it down from above. For as the blind man who is shut up in darkness, if his eyes be opened and he go forth into the light, will be unwilling for the darkness to overtake him again, so the mind having begun to see the light of its own person, hateth the darkness, and is unwilling to remember it again. And one of the fathers also said, “I wished to look upon my mind, saying, Perhaps if I allow my mind to do so it will go and wander about in the world; but when I set it free it stood still, and was silent, and did not know where to go. And again, I lifted it up on high, for it knew that if it departed and wandered about I had to admonish it; quietness and prayer make strong this class of service.” And the same old man said, “If a man prayeth continually it will bring correction to the mind immediately.”

594. B. How is it possible for a man to pray continually? For the body becometh ill through constant prayer.

O.M. The standing up of a man in his prayer [once] is not said to be prayer, but [he must do so] continually.

595. B. How is [prayer to be made] continually?

O.M. Whether thou art eating, or drinking, or even travelling on the road, or if thou art doing some piece of work, thou shalt not let prayer be remote from thy heart.

596. B. But suppose I be talking with some one, how is it possible for me to fulfil the command, “Be ye praying continually”?

O.M. Now concerning this the Apostle spake, “In [all your] prayers, and in [all your] supplications, pray ye at all